Interventional cardiology is used to treat cardiovascular disease with non-surgical procedures done to the heart and blood vessels. The procedures require no large incisions or instruments enter the body, so they are minimally invasive.
The Cardiac & Vascular Interventional Group (CVIG) provides the following interventional cardiac and vascular services, which are alternatives to traditional open-heart surgery:
- Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) - PTCA is used to treat vessels that have become narrow from plaque, also known as fatty build up. During the procedure, the patient is given a mild sedative but remains alert. A wire is passed from an artery in the leg or arm to the area of the artery that is being treated. A catheter (plastic tube) with a small balloon on the end is placed into the artery where the narrowing is present. The balloon is then inflated to compress the plaque. It also stretches the artery wall to expand, improving blood flow. The PTCA procedure takes approximately two hours, involves little to moderate pain and usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital.
- Protected PCI - is performed on patients with severe coronary artery disease and diminished (but stable) heart function who are undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) such as an angioplasty or stenting, but are not candidates for surgery, as determined by their team of doctors and heart surgeon. The procedure is performed with the support of the Impella 2.5 Heart Pump. The Impella heart pump is intended for temporary (less than six hours) use to maintain stable blood pressure and circulation for these patients during their PCI procedure, enabling the cardiologist to reopen the narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, leading to less adverse events, an improved quality of life and less time in the hospital.
- Peripheral Angioplasty (PCI) - Peripheral angioplasty is much like PTCA however it is used to treat blockages in the legs or arms. During the procedure, the patient is given a mild sedative but remains alert. A wire is passed from an artery in the leg or arm to the area of the artery that is being treated. A catheter (plastic tube) with a small balloon on the end is placed into the artery where the narrowing is present. The balloon is then inflated to compress the plaque. It also stretches the artery wall to expand, improving blood flow. Peripheral angioplasty patients usually stay overnight in the hospital following the procedure. After two days, most patients can resume normal activities.
- Stent Placement - Stents, expandable tubes of metallic wire mesh, are used to open up blockages in a person’s arteries. They are designed to line the inner walls of the vessel, holding the artery open and maintaining normal blood flow. During a stent placement, the patient is given a mild sedative and remains alert. The physician inserts a catheter (plastic tube) through an artery via needle or small incision in the patient’s arm or leg. Then he guides the catheter to the blockage. He typically inflates a little balloon to compress the blockage material against the artery walls. Then he inserts the stent, which remains permanently. The procedure, which takes approximately two hours, involves little to moderate pain and usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital.
- Atherectomy - Atherectomy is used to cut through a blockage in the artery. It creates an opening so blood can flow freely. These devices are effective in both soft and hard calcified blockages. During an atherectomy the patient is given a mild sedative and remains alert. The physician inserts a catheter (plastic tube) through an artery via a needle or small incision in the patient’s arm or leg. The physician guides the catheter to the blockage and uses the atherectomy device to cut or pulverize the blockage. Atherectomy patients usually stay overnight in the hospital following the procedure. After two days, most patients can resume normal activities.
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) - For people who have been diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and who are high-risk or too sick for open heart surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may be an option. TAVR can result in lengthening patients' lives. This less invasive procedure allows a new valve to be inserted within your diseased aortic valve. The CVI Group uses the Edwards SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve for their TAVR procedures.
- WATCHMAN
- PFO Closure